Device for dancing the twist



Sept. 7, 1965 c. H. LATSON 3,204,348

DEVICE FOR DANCING THE TWIST Filed Oct. '7, 1963 CLAUDE H. LATSONINVENTOR.

A TTORNE Y United States Patent 3,204,348 DEVICE FOR DANCING THE TWISTClaude H. Latson, 1200 E. 1st St., Fort Worth, Tex. Filed Oct. 7, 1963,Ser. No. 314,180 4 Claims. (Cl. 36-8.3)

This invention relates to a device for dancing the Twist, and itconcerns more particularly a swivel foot supporting platform, one ofwhich is provided for each foot of the user, having means for removablyconnecting it to the sole of the foot, forwardly thereof, and providinga pivotal support adapted to support the foot for rotative, twistingmovement about a vertical axis.

The Twist is a dance step which at the present time enjoys a degree ofpopularity and which largely involves standing in one place whileresting the weight of the body on the soles of the feet or either ofthem, forwardly thereof, and continually twisting the feet, individuallyand in unison, to produce certain novel and vigorous body motions.Additionally, the device may be used, without music, for exercising andreducing the waistline.

This invention contemplates a swivel foot supporting platform asdescribed having a flexible, elastic strap engageable over the top andsides of the foot whereby it is adapted to be removably connected to thesole of the foot, forwardly thereof, and which may be worn with orwithout shoes, for use as a pivotal support for the foot while dancingthe Twist and other like steps.

The invention further contemplates a swivel foot supporting platerelatively larger than the base plate having length and width dimensionscorresponding substantially to those of a portion of the sole of anindividual foot, forwardly thereof, positioned above the base plate inparallel, closely spaced relation thereto and having means removably andpivotally connecting it to the base plate for rotative movement about avertical axis, the base plate and the foot supporting plate havingmutually opposed annular grooves arranged concentrically relative tosaid connecting means, said grooves having a plurality of ball bearingsreceived therebetween whereby the foot supporting plate is rotatablysupported on the base plate, and a relatively thin planar memberarranged parallel to and between the base plate and the foot supportingplate, said last mentioned planar member having an opening thereinthrough which said connecting means is passed and having other,circumferentially spaced openings each having one of the ball bearingsreceived therein whereby the ball bearings are spaced circumferentiallyrelative to each other.

An object of the invention is to provide a swivel foot supportingplatform as described which is of simple, light weight construction andwhich may be produced inexpensively.

An advantageous feature of the swivel foot supporting platform of theinvention is that it is relatively compact, having length and widthdimensions corresponding to those of the foot supporting plate andhaving a thickness which is determined substantially by the combinedthickness of the base plate and the foot supporting plate, the size andweight of the device being such that a pair of them may be readilycarried in the hand or in a mans coat pocket, or in a womans purse.

Another advantageous feature of the swivel foot supporting platform ofthe invention is that the number of said ball bearings is comparativelysmall, sufficient to support the foot supporting plate at preferably notmore than about three points spaced circumferentially substantially 120degrees apart from each other, so that the device is of light weight andmay be produced inexpensively, due largely to the small number of saidbearings.

The invention will be readily understood by referring Fee to thefollowing description and the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of a swivel foot supporting platformembodying the invention.

FIGURE 2 is a bottom plan view thereof partly broken away to showdetails of construction.

FIGURE 3 is an elevational view partly in section taken on the line 3-3of FIGURE 2, and

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view showing the invention in its operativeposition as applied to a foot.

Referring to FIGURE 4 of the drawing, the numeral 1 designates generallya foot having a shoe, indicated generally by the numeral 2, thereon andhaving a swivel foot supporting platform embodying the invention,indicated generally by the numeral 3, operatively connected to the soleof the foot 1, forwardly thereof, as hereinafter described.

As shown in FIGURES 1 to 3 of the drawing, the swivel foot supportingplatform 3 includes a base plate 4 which has cushioning means 5 on oneside thereof for frictional engagement with a floor surface (not shown).A foot supporting plate 6, which is relatively larger than the baseplate 4 and has length and width dimensions corresponding substantiallyto those of a portion of the sole of the foot 1, is positioned above thebase plate 4 in parallel, closely spaced relation. A flat headed screw7, which is passed upwardly through a hole therefor in the base plate 4and is received in a recess 8 in the under side of the base plate 4surrounded by an opening 9 in the cushioning means 5, is threadedlyconnected to the foot supporting plate 6 whereby the foot supportingplate 6 is removably and pivotally connected to the base plate 4 forrotative movement about a vertical axis. A washer 10 is received on thescrew 7 between the head of the screw and the recessed portion 8 of thebase plate 4.

The base plate 4 and the foot supporting plate 6 have mutually opposedannular grooves 11, 12 arranged concentrically relative to the screw 7.The grooves 11, 12 have a plurality of ball bearings 13 receivedtherebetween whereby the foot supporting plate 6 is rotatably supportedon the base plate 4. A relatively thin planar member 14, which isarranged parallel to and between the base plate 4 and the footsupporting plate 6, has an opening therein through which the screw 7 ispassed and has other circumferentially spaced openings 15 each havingone of the ball bearings 13 received therein whereby the ball bearings13 are spaced circumferentially relative to each other.

The number of the ball bearings 13 preferably is comparatively small,and is suflicient to support the foot supporting plate 6, preferably atnot more than about three points which are spaced circumferentiallysubstantially degrees apart from each other.

The foot supporting plate 6 has a non-skid surface on the top sidethereof, as at 16, and has an elastic flexible strap 17 connected at itsends to opposite side edges of the foot supporting plate 6. The strap 17is engageable over the top and sides of the foot 1, as shown in FIGURE4, whereby the swivel foot supporting platform 3 is adapted to beremovably connected to the sole of the foot 1, forwardly thereof.

The invention is not limited to the exemplary construction herein shownand described, but may be made in various ways within the scope of theappended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A swivel foot supporting platform for use in dancing the Twist andother like steps comprising a base plate engageable with a floorsurface, a foot supporting plate relatively larger than the base platehaving length and width dimensions corresponding substantially to thoseof a portion of the sole of an individual foot, forwardly thereof,positioned above the base plate in parallel, closely spaced relationthereto and having means removably and pivotally connecting it to thebase plate for rotative movement about a vertical axis, the base plateand the foot supporting plate having mutually opposed annular groovesarranged concentrically relative to said connecting means, said grooveshaving a plurality of ball bearings received therebetween whereby thefoot supporting plate is rotatably supported on the base plate, and arelatively thin planar member arranged parallel to and between the baseplate and the foot supporting plate, said last-mentioned planar memberhaving an opening therein through which said connecting means is passedand having other circumferentially spaced openings each having one ofthe ball bearings received therein whereby the ball bearings are spacedcircumferentially relative to each other.

2. The structure of claim 1, said swivel foot supporting platform beingof light weight and being'relatively com pact, having length and widthdimensions corresponding to those of the foot supporting plate andhaving a thickness which is determined substantially by the combinedthickness of the base plate and the foot supporting plate, the size andweight of the device being such that a pair of them may be readilycarried in the hand or in a mans coat pocket, or in a womans purse.

3. The structure of claim 1, the number of said ball bearings beingcomparatively small, sufficient to support the foot supporting plate atnot more than about three points spaced circumferentially substantially120 degrees apart from each other, so that the device is of lightweightand may be produced inexpensively, due largely to the small number ofsaid bearings.

4. The structure of claim 3, and an elastic flexible strap connected atits ends to opposite side edges of the foot supporting plate, said strapbeing engageable over the top and sides of the foot whereby the swivelfoot supporting platform is adapted to be removably connected to thesole of the foot, forwardly thereof.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,109,712 3/38Schmalz 36105 2,671,971 3/54 Garretson 36104 3,091,043 5/63 McCorkle36104 JORDAN FRANKLIN, Primary Examiner.

1. A SWIVEL FOOT SUPPORTING PLATFORM FOR USE IN DANCING THE "TWIST" ANDOTHER LIKE STEPS COMPRISING A BASE PLATE ENGAGEABLE WITH A FLOORSURFACE, A FOOT SUPPORTING PLATE RELATIVELY LARGER THAN THE BASE PLATEHAVING LENGTH AND WIDTH DIMENSIONS CORRESPONDING SUBSTANTIALLY TO THOSEOF A PORTION OF THE SOLE OF AN INDIVIDUAL FOOT, FORWARDLY THEREOF,POSITIONED ABOVE THE BASE PLATE IN PARALLEL, CLOSELY SPACED RELATIONTHERETO AND HAVING MEANS HAVING REMOVABLY AND PIVOTALLY CONNECTING IT TOTHE BASE PLATE FOR ROTATIVE MOVEMENT ABOUT A VERTICAL AXIS, THE BASEPLATE AND THE FOOT SUPPORTING PLATE HAVING MUTUALLY OPPOSED ANNULARGROOVES ARRANGED CONCENTRICALLY RELATIVE TO SAID CONNECTING MEANS, SAIDGROOVES HAVING A PLURALITY OF BALL BEARINGS RECEIVED THEREBETWEENWHEREBY THE FOOT SUPPORTING PLATE IS ROTABLY SUPPORTED ON THE BASEPLATE, AND A RELATIVELY THIN PLANAR MEMBER ARRANGED PARALLEL TO ANDBETWEEN THE BASE PLATE AND THE FOOT SUPPORTING PLATE, SAIDLAST-MENTIONED PLANAR MEMBER HAVING AN OPENING THEREIN THROUGH WHICHSAID CONNECTING MEANS IS PASSED AND HAVING OTHER CIRCUMFERENTIALLYSPACED OPENINGS EACH HAVING ONE OF THE BALL BEARINGS RECEIVED THEREINWHEREBY THE BALL BEARINGS ARE SPACED CIRCUMFERENTIALLY RELATIVE TO EACHOTHER.